Lucky Number Seven - The 7th Hunger Games
by Oxenstierna D. Yuki-Rin
Summary: Miller Pratt has the distinct "honor" of being one of the two District 7 Tributes to fight in the 7th annual Hunger Games. With a sick and dying Career, a depressed stylist, and a young girl he's trying to protect, it will take all of Miller's strength to come home to District 7.


**Author's Note**: Welcome, citizens of Panem, to the 7th annual Hunger Games! We've got an exciting line-up for the Games this year! From the determined girl from District 4, to the down-home guy from District 7, we're going to have a great Hunger Games!

Anyway, here's a Hunger Games fic that has been floating around my head for quite some time. All of the characters in this fic will be OCs, except for Titus the cannibal (who is mentioned in this chapter) and the girl who blew herself up by dropping her District token on her plate (who will be a Tribute in these Games).

So, let the 7th annual Hunger Games begin!

**Disclaimer: _The Hunger Games _is owned by Suzanne Collins. I just own the books, the movie, a poster, and some other HG-related merchandise.**

* * *

I jog along the main strip of District 7, clutching a basket filled with our District's bread, a bread made with cinnamon and raisins. (1) It was a gift from my parents, being that today's Reaping Day and it's my last year in the Reaping Bowl. Only seven slips of paper in the boy's Reaping Bowl say "Miller Pratt" on them. My family had a comfortable life, and I never had to take Tesserae once. Sadly, I can't say the same for many residents of District 7 who are dirt poor and have to risk losing their kids to the Games just to get extra grain and oil.

One of these unfortunate people is my friend Erika, a fourteen-year old orphan living in an abandoned saw mill. Ever since I found her living in the mill a year ago, I've been delivering food and supplies to her, making sure the Peacekeepers don't bring her back to the Community Home she escaped from. She'll enjoy some fresh bread today, despite the Reapings.

"Happy Hunger Games!" I announce as I open the door to the mill.

"And may the odds be ever in your favor!" Erika adds as she comes out from behind the desk she uses as a bed. For a fourteen-year old, Erika's quite short, as her faded, gray dress is rather baggy. Her shoes are quite small, and she wears a green bandana to keep her long, black hair from her face. It's not what the Capitol considers "fashionable", but it will do by District 7 standards.

"I brought you a treat. Hope this takes your mind off of things," I say as I take the bread out of the basket.

"Ooh! Cinnamon bread!" Erika yells as I begin to slice the bread. "I found something for you, too. Let me go get it."

Erika retreats back behind the desk. A few seconds later, she returns with a strip of flannel.

"Is this a good luck charm or my token if I get Reaped?" I ask as Erika places the flannel in my hands.

"Don't say things like that! You're not going to get Reaped, Miller! Your name is in there how many times?!" Erika explains.

"Seven times. And, if it weren't for me, your name would be in there more than three times," I explain.

"That's true," Erika says before taking a bite from her slice of bread. "And, if it weren't for Cosmo, we wouldn't know each other."

I let out a sad sigh. Cosmo McGee was my friend and my partner on our logging team. He was Reaped for last year's Games, and that's how I met Erika - Walking home from Cosmo's Reaping. Cosmo died three days later when the Tribute from District 6, Titus, trapped him in a snare and killed him. The worst part came next - Everyone in Panem watched in horror as Titus cut up Cosmo and cooked him up. Everyone knew that Titus lost his mind and resorted to cannabalism, but everyone on the logging team was horrorified that it happened to Cosmo.

I still have the occasional nightmare of seeing Cosmo being killed and eaten by Titus. They've been growing less and less as time goes by, but the nightmares are still unsettling.

Just as I regain my appetite, the bell in the town square chimes, signaling that it's time to go to the Reaping.

"Darn it!" I cry. "Guess we'll have to eat this later!"

"Yep! To celebrate your last year of being eligible for the Games!" Erika says in agreement.

* * *

I can memorize what Districts won each Games, as there have only been six Games. District 12 won the first Games, District 5 won the second, District 1 won the third Games, District 2 won the fourth and fifth Games, and District 4 won last year's Games. District 7 has yet to have a Victor. (2)

I keep all of this in mind during the reading of the Treaty of Treason and the mayor's speech. Will the number seven prove to be a lucky number, giving District 7 a Victor this year? Or, will the Tributes die at the hands of their opponents, the elements, or the Gamemakers themselves?

"And now, please give a warm welcome to your District escort, Marlene Grey!"

We clap as our Escort, Marlene Grey, takes the stage. Marlene looks very out of place in our District, as she has jet-black hair, light-blue skin, and fish fins coming out of her cheeks. I can see her doing the Escorting for District 4, which is on the coast, but not for District 7.

"Hello, District 7! And, happy Hunger Games!" Marlene says, with lots of pep and enthusiasm in her voice. None of us return the pep and enthusiasm, since two kids are going to be sent to their deaths. "Why don't we change things up and pick a name from the boys' bowl, shall we?"

Marlene walks over to the boys' Reaping bowl and pulls out a name. All of the eighteen-year olds around me hold their breath, hoping that the name on that small slip of paper isn't theirs.

"Miller Pratt!"

The name on that slip of paper was my name. One slip out of thousands. Seven slips of paper that said "Miller Pratt". How did the odds get stacked against me?

With a sharp intake of breath, I make my way onto the stage. Many boys look relieved that they're not going into the Games. The ones who aren't going but are still eligible to be Reaped next year don't know what I'm feeling right now.

"Miller Pratt, huh? How did you get your name?" Marlene asks me.

"I was named for the District's paper mills. My grandpa worked at a paper mill," I explained.

"Interesting!" Marlene comments, feinging an interest in how I was named. "And now, let's pick our female Tribute!"

Marlene walks over to the girls' bowl and pulls out a name. For a moment, I wonder who I will get as my District partner - The daughter of the furniture shop owner? A lumberjack girl? A girl from the Community Home? Whoever I get, I need to work with her so I can get out with my life and my sanity.

"Erika Hiiragi!"

No. Not Erika. Any girl but Erika. She's only fourteen. The stronger Tributes will kill her in a matter of minutes.

"Erika Hiiragi? Come on up, sweetie," Marlene says. Moments later, Erika steps onto the stage, pale as a sheet. "And, you must be Erika! How are you feeling right now? You get to represent District 7 in the 7th annual Hunger Games!"

"I... I want to go home," Erika chokes out, holding back tears. Marlene turns to the audience.

"District 7, your Tributes for this year's Hunger Games are Miller Pratt and Erika Hiiragi!" Marlene announces. "Shake hands, the both of you!"

With a shaky hand, I shake Erika's hand. She must be in the same state of shock as I am - Getting Reaped into the Games with a good friend who has given you food, clothing, and other supplies.

They say that seven is a lucky number. When you're from District 7 and you're going to fight in the 7th Hunger Games, you begin to question why the number seven brings you good luck.

* * *

**(1) - **Yes, I have a bread-related headcanon. Basically, my headcanon bread for District 7 is a cinnamon raisin bread.

**(2) - **Another headcanon of mine is that the first Hunger Games Victor was from District 12. The same District 12 Victor who died before Katniss and Peeta's Games and didn't get a name, gender, or what Games he or she was in.

Anyway, I have decided to do something interesting for this fic. At the end of each chapter, I will ask two questions regarding this fic - One serious question, and one lighthearted/silly/stupid/cracky question. So, here are the questions for this chapter:

**Serious Question: **What Tributes do you think Miller and Erika will meet?

**Cracky Question: **What are your headcanon breads for each District? We all know that somebody's going to say that District 13's bread is irradiated and gives off a warm, nuclear glow.

**Review if you want to see the train ride to the Capitol!**


End file.
